German energy company halts imports of Czech electricity

The German energy giant E.ON has halted imports of electricity generated in the Czech Republic. The decision comes after public pressure in Germany from opponents to nuclear power, who are concerned about the safety of the Czech Temelin nuclear plant. A further factor is thought to be a law recently passed in Germany that will enable the government to ban imports of electricity produced in nuclear plants in Eastern Europe, suspected of being unsafe. Up to now E.ON has been the Czech Republic's largest energy customer abroad, accounting for a quarter of energy exports. A spokesman from the Czech energy company CEZ declined to comment on the decision saying that talks were still under way with E.ON.